Watching Him
by ewon
Summary: It's RuHana.
1. Watching

Note: I'll continue this if you like it. Otherwise I'll just leave it like this since I didn't plan on writing this in the first place. I just felt writing and this is the result. I hope you like it though! 

Watching Him

It was lunch break. Rukawa sighed as he tried to squeeze his way through the mass of students heading for tables in different directions. _Can't believe I'm doing this._ This was the fifth week he had gone to the school cafeteria. Before, he just ate his lunch in a secluded area, away from prying eyes and gossiping tongues. But five weeks ago he had realised that he loved a loud mouthed moron who liked to eat in the cafeteria. That had been the end of his lovely solitary lunches. Rukawa took his place at the end of the line and sighed again. _The things I do for that do'aho._

After Rukawa got his lunch he eyed the room and easily spotted Sakuragi sitting near the window with his guntai. _The good part of Sakuragi having such a loud voice_, Rukawa thought as he made his way towards an empty table from which he could have a clear view of the do'aho, _is that he is always easy to find_. There was no mistaking the annoying laugh and the blazing red hair. And added to that was his guntai, making almost as much noice as Sakuragi himself. _Well_, Rukawa sat down and started to eat, _that's just fine with me._

The annoying laugh boomed over the cafeteria. Several people twiched and shot angry looks at Sakuragi. Rukawa looked up to see what had made the red head so happy. Sakuragi was laughing with tears in his eyes and pointing at Noma. The boy was blushing so apparently Sakuragi had teased him about something. _He is so beautiful when he laughs. I could watch him forever._ Rukawa snapped out of his sappy thoughts. _This is not like me. That do'aho! He's changing me. I don't want to change, damn it! I was perfect the way I was!_ But despite his thoughts Rukawa felt a smile curving his lips when he looked at Sakuragi again. He suppressed it quickly. He had to be careful since in a public, open place like this someone was sure to be watching his every move. _No smiling here, Kaede. Save it for later._

Rukawa almost grimaced when he thought of his newly found hobby: smiling in front of the mirror. He couldn't help it. Every time he passed the mirror in his room or in the bathroom he stopped and smiled at his image. It wasn't for admiring his good looks but to figure out what kind of smile would have the best effect on Sakuragi. Was it the gentle one or the flirteous one or perhaps the seductive one? Rukawa was sure he had by now developed hundreds of variations of different kinds of smiles. _I'm becoming a freaking expert on smiling for god's sake. Me! Smiling!_ Of course he hadn't actually smiled at Sakuragi yet. He didn't have the courage to do it. Every time he saw Sakuragi and was about smile he felt his legs weaken, his heart thumping and his hands shaking and he couldn't do it. Either that or then the do'aho started to insult him and fight with him. It was okay with Rukawa though, fighting meant that he got Sakuragi's attention all to himself. And if he was lucky he could even get some physical contact. _I've become a pervert._

The part of becoming a pervert had actually dawned to Rukawa quite early on. It had been kind of obvious. He thought of attacking the other boy in the showers and during the practice and even during his classes. He had begun to enjoy the previously boring classes now that he could let his mind wonder to all the ecchi stuff he wanted to do to Sakuragi. The pool of drool on his desk grew wider and wider every day. Also, his laundry had increased dramatically. It was all Sakuragi's fault for being so adorable. It was only natural that the sheets got dirty after a bunch of wonderful dreams involving Sakuragi and no clothes.

"Teme!!!!" A loud cry snapped Rukawa out from his daydreams. He looked up and saw that Sakuragi was complaining to the lady behind the counter. "What is this? Are you trying to poison this tensai so that I wouldn't beat you!" Rukawa sweatdropped. _What on earth is he going to beat her in? Do'aho!_

The poor lady couldn't do anything but stare. She wished she knew what she had done in her previous life to get punished like this. Sakuragi Hanamichi came to complain almost every day. And it was always about the same thing.

"Look! Look at this!" Sakuragi held out a green thing that looked like a piece of cabbage to Rukawa but he couldn't be sure. Of course he too knew this routine by now. _It's always about the vegetables_. Rukawa smiled inwardly and leaned back to enjoy the show.

"What about it?" the lady asked.

"What about it, you ask! Is this the food that keeps this tensai in perfect condition? Tell me, how can I live up to my tensai name if I eat stuff like this." Sakuragi was fuming. Rukawa wondered if he would ever get tired of this 'what the hell is this green stuff' complaining. He hoped not. This was one of the moments Rukawa got to see Sakuragi in all his glory, radiating life around him. _How can I not love him when he's like this?_

"Okay, I'm sorry", the lady behind the counter said, "I'll take it and give you a new plate. Wait a moment."

Sakuragi handed his plate, beaming and waited happily while the lady went to get him another. When he got his new lunch, without the vegetables, he gave the lady the most beautiful smile and told her that she was the best. Then he trodded back to his table and continued eating. _He looks so cute when he eats. _Sakuragi stuffed the food to his mouth and didn't even notice that some of it went to his face. _God! I want to lick it off. Why are you so adorable?_

Suddenly Rukawa noticed that his own food was gone. He sighed heavily and got up. He wouldn't see Sakuragi again before practice. _Oh well, there're always the classes. Many hours to dream about him. But when will my dreams come true?_ Rukawa exited the cafeteria.


	2. Making Him Happy

Notes: Thank you for your reviews and kind words! They have made a lazy ass like myself to work harder. Here's the second chapter, I hope it wont disappoint you.

Chapter 2 - Making Him Happy

Rukawa opened the gym door and entered. He looked around to see if Sakuragi was already there but to his disappointment the red head was nowhere to be seen. _Patience, Kaede, _he told himself, _Only a few more minutes and you'll see him. _And true enough, when he headed towards the changing room he heard Sakuragi's voice coming from behind him. Rukawa forced himself not to turn around and look at the object of his adoration. He hurried to the changing room before he could give in to the temptation. He barely made it to his locker when the door burst open again and Sakuragi walked in with Miyagi.

"And just look at this, Ryocchin. Look at it! It has to be ten pages long! Does he think that a tensai like me doesn't have anything better to do!" Sakuragi was complaining, holding a notebook in front of Miyagi's face.

The second year tried to shove the notebook a little further away but in vain. "Hanamichi, I can't read it if you hold it so close. Give it to me."

Sakuragi tossed the notebook to Miyagi, threw his arms up in the air and wailed. "I can't believe it! I was going to go to the movies with the guntan but now I'm stuck with this!"

Rukawa shifted so that he could discreetly look at Sakuragi. The wailing boy was apparently trying to pull his hair out, clutching the red locks so hard that his knuckles were turning white. Rukawa hastily dropped his gaze when Sakuragi turned around to face him.

"Kitsune! You're here?" Sakuragi said but was too engulfed in his problem to continue bickering. "What am I going to do? Ten pages! For Friday!"

Miyagi looked up and handed the notebook back. "Well, I think you should ask for help. There's no way you can write ten pages about anything, let alone the Japanese economy in the 15th century."

Sakuragi whirled around and stared at his sempai, threateningly. "Help? What help? The tensai doesn't need any help!"

"…Right." Miyagi started to undo the buttons of his uniform. "So anyway, Kogure is pretty good in school and might be kind enough to help you."

Sakuragi leaped at him, hands strecthed out, ready to strangle him. "Teme!! I told I don't need any help! I can write ten pages easily!"

Miyagi was unimpressed. "Yeah, perhaps about yourself. No chances with history."

"Hmph! I'll show you! You'll see the tensai's abilities."

"I already know your abilities. That's why I'm telling you to ask for help."

"Teme!!!" Sakuragi was about to strangle Miyagi to death when the door opened once again and Akagi stepped in. He took a brief look at the situation and then without hesitation landed his fist on both heads. Sakuragi and Miyagi fell to the ground, nursing their heads.

"What are you two doing? Get changed and start practicing. You too, Rukawa", Akagi said and left.

Rukawa peeked from behind his bangs and saw how the two got up and changed. His eyed lingered on Sakuragi's back and neck. He blinked really fast, trying to block any hentai images that made their way into his consciousness. _God, he's gorgeous!_

Sakuragi left soon after with Miyagi. Rukawa stayed behind, now staring at the notebook Sakuragi had left on the bench. _I could do the assigntemt for him. Yes, I could do that, it would make him happy._ Rukawa felt how his insides started to burn with anticipation. _I could make him happy. Me!_ He jolted up and grabbed the notebook. He held it in his hands, trying to fight back the excitement he was feeling. _Let's see, today is Wednesday so I'll have to do it tonight in order to be able to give it to him tomorrow before he gets desparate. Yosh! _He slipped the notebook in his bag. _Don't worry about the assignment, Hanamichi, I'll do it for you._ Rukawa almost smiled when he entered the gym.

Later that evening…

Rukawa slumped back in his chair and sighed in frustration. _It was a great idea, Kaede. Too bad you're not any better in history than he is._ He looked at the computer screen and what he had been working on. _Two straight hours and what do I have? Half an ark full of sentences borrowed directly from books._ He shifted his gaze. _Shit!_ _What the hell was I thinking?_ He shut his eyes and leaned back. As always, images of Sakuragi filled his mind. After awhile his eyes snapped open and he looked at the computer on his table with new determination. _Right. It was to make Sakuragi happy. Work hard, Kaede!_ He returned to his work.

The next morning, 7 A.M.

Rukawa took the last paper out of the printer and sighed with relief. _That was tough._ He looked at the pile of papers with pride. _It's finished. Now all I have to do is to give it to him. Wait a minute!_ Rukawa suddenly realised something. _He's never going to accept it if _I_ give it to him. He's going to think that I'm trying to sabotage his history marks or something._ He frowned, trying to figure out a way to give the results of his hard work to Sakuragi. _I'll just have to make him think it's from someone else._ Deciding this he sat down in front of the computer again and began to type. _Should I sign as a secret admirer? That's what I am, after all. _Rukawa thought about it for awhile and then dropped the idea. _Knowing that idiot he'll just begin to boast about his new admirer and I'll have to fight against my own shadow. I'll just sign as 'friend'._ He typed it, printed his little note, added it to the pile and headed to school.

To Rukawa's relief there was no one at school yet. He sneaked to the lockers and halted in front of a particular one. He knew which of the lockers belonged to Sakuragi since he had been following…no, he had just happened to walk past when Sakuragi had rummaged it, all the while talking loudly to his friends. So, he hadn't been following the dimwit or stalking him or anything. He had just walked by and Sakuragi's voice had caught his attention. Right.

After inspecting his surroundings thoroughly Rukawa took the papers from his bag and slipped them into the red head's locker. Then he practically ran away from it. When he was at the door he suddenly stopped in his tracks. _Wait! If I stay here I can see his face when he sees it._ Turning around he rushed back and took a good position.

Loud whining could be heard long before one could see Sakuragi, stomping towards his locker, followed closely by Mito Yohei. Rukawa felt a stab of jealousy when he saw the evident closeness these two shared. He gritted his teeth, willing himself not to think about it. _Soon he'll see my 'gift' and he'll be happy. I have to enjoy it fully, without distracting thoughts._

"I couldn't find it, Yohei! I looked everywhere. Argh! The history teacher is going to kill me!" Sakuragi yelled on top of his lungs. "That stupid old- " He went silent when he opened his locker and looked inside.

Rukawa watched as Sakuragi took out the pile of papers and read the note he had left. The red head's jaw dropped. _He looks so cute. I want to cuddle him._ Rukawa nearly banged his head to the wall when he realised what he had just thought._ Get a grip, Kaede. You're not that much out of your mind yet. Quit the sappy thoughts and be a man._

"YESS!!!"

Rukawa was startled by the sudden shout coming from Sakuragi and quickly looked at the boy. Sakuragi was grinning from ear to ear, hugging the papers and taking a few dance steps. Rukawa froze and stared at him with awe. _This is the first time I've made him happy. This is the first time I've been the cause for his beautiful smile. I-I feel…_ Rukawa didn't continue his thought. He didn't know how to.

"Yohei! Look at this! I'm saved!" Sakuragi exclaimed, still grinning widely.

Yohei took the pile and examined the note with disbelief and suspicion on his face. "Who is this 'friend'?" He asked his axcited friend.

"I don't know and I don't care! I'll just…"Sakuragi went silent for awhile, then he shouted as loudly as he could: "Thank you!"

No expression could be seen on Rukawa's face as he made his way towards his classroom. But inwardly he was grinning madly. _You're welcome, Hanamichi._ He took his place in the back of the room and laid his head on his arms that were crossed on the desk. Now, covered by his hair and arms he smiled to himself. _You're wonderful, Hanamichi. I'll make you mine one day. I swear it. And then I'll make you smile every day._ Then he dozed off and dreamt beautiful and happy dreams.


	3. Practicing

Notes: Wah! I'm sorry it took so god damn long. The reason is…well…okay, I confess! I've been just enjoying my vacation, playing videogames and watching anime with my cousin. But now he went back home so I can continue writing. This is the third part. It was supposed to be the last one but turned out it isn't. The next one is. Probably. Anyway, thank you _so_ much for your reviews! They make me happy! I hope you like this chapter as well!

Chapter 3 - Practicing

Rukawa stood in front of a mirror. The curtains of his room were closed and his door was firmly locked. He had made sure no one would be able to come in or see him. The reason was that he was butt naked.

Rukawa stared at his well shaped legs. He turned a little to look at them from a different angle and then turned again, crooked his neck to see more clearly.

"Nothing wrong with my legs", he mumbled. His inspecting gaze moved to his arms. After some swinging and stretching he decided that there was nothing wrong with them either. _There is absolutely nothing wrong with my whole body. Nothing I can think of, anyway._ He leaned closer to the mirror and stared at his own face. _The face is fine, too._ He continued staring at his reflection. _There's nothing wrong. Nothing wrong…_ He sighed heavily and dropped onto the bed, crossing his arms behind his head. _Nothing wrong. So where's your self confidence, Kaede? Just tell him. How hard can it be? Only three words, 'I like you'. Nothing to it. _"I like you", Rukawa whispered aloud. And suddenly the words seemed to gain more meaning and a light shade of red creeped up his cheeks. He quickly covered his face with his hands to hide it. _Oh shit. It _is_ hard. How can it be?… Must be because I don't talk much. I don't have experience in socialising. Yes, that must be it._ A sudden knock on the door woke him from his musings.

"Kaede, the dinner's ready", his mother said from behind the door.

"Uh, okay. Be there in a bit." Rukawa got up and grabbed his clothes. _If I practice a little then it won't be so hard._ Once dressed he got downstairs and joined his parents at the table. _Got to practice._ "So…hm…"

His parents turned to look at him, surprised that he had spoken. They had gotten used to their son's silence a long time ago. Rukawa wasn't the kind to blab about his stuff or ask advice. He wanted to do everything himself and excluding some events when his parents had thought it better to interfere, they had let him be what he was.

_Practice, practice._ "Hm…So how was your day, Mom?"

His mother blinked and then a frowned a little. She was starting to get worried but she quickly hid it. "It was quite nice, actually. I finally finished a work that had been prolonged."

"And you, Dad?"

"It was okay." His father watched as Rukawa fell silent again, apparently deep in thought. He glanced at his wife who looked as puzzled as he felt. He shrugged, his son would tell if there was a need. Perhaps.

Rukawa finished eating and stormed back into his room. As soon as the door was shut he breathed out: "I like you." A blush once again flared on his cheeks. _As I thought, that was insufficient practice. Got to practice more._

After a week of vigorous training with his parents, some shopkeepers and a librarian Rukawa was able to say 'I like you' aloud without blushing. He felt a bit more sure of himself and was starting to think that he could try 'the confessing thing', as he called it. He was now considering which method of confessing he should choose. After being at the receiving end of dozens of confessions he knew quite a few ways to do it. Should he write a letter or give Sakuragi chocolate or perhaps a flower? Should he be subtle or should he be blunt? He grimaced. _He's so dumb that he won't know my meaning if I don't punch him in the face with it. So I definetely have to be blunt. No dropping hints every now and then. I have to grab him by the collar and tell him straight. _He stopped to think about it. _Hmm…seems like I have decided to talk to him instead of writing a letter. It's probably the only way to make the do'aho understand._

The next morning found Rukawa sitting under a tree near the school gate. It was so early that no one else had arriver yet. Rukawa wanted to be sure he didn't miss Sakuragi's arrival. _Although he's probably late._

He had practiced his short sentence in front of his mirror this morning. He had planned it all. He would tell Sakuragi that he wanted to talk with him. After getting to some secluded corner he would say 'I like you' and smile the loving smile version two, and then Sakuragi would say…he would say… A sudden fear clenched Rukawa's heart. _Damn it! I wasn't supposed to think that far. Just telling him is enough. Don't think what happens afterwards, you stupid idiot!_ His shoulders slumped. _But I don't want to lose him. Gah! What am I thinking? I don't _have_ him so I can't lose him. But what if he starts to avoid me?…It's possible that that's going to happen. So perhaps I should just…_ He sat there, staring into distance and suddenly he slapped himself. _What a hell!!? Get a grip, Kaede. You're not a coward._ And with a fierce determination on his face he continued to sit and watched as the students started to come.


	4. Taking Action

Note: Wah! This was so difficult! I really suck at confessions. In fact, the only thing I suck more at is proof reading. Have you noticed? That explains every mistake I make. That and the fact that English isn't my first language. Far from it. Anyway, it took me a lot of effort to write this and I still don't know if it's any good. Um…remember when I said that this is going to be the last chapter? Well…this _could_ be the last one. But…if you think you can bear to read more I would be happy to write, 'cause I _really_ like clear, happy endings. And also, Annachan, thank you _so_ much!! You've really encouraged me to carry on. bows gratefully

Chapter 4 - Taking Action

Finally, _finally _Sakuragi walked through the gates, followed by his friends. He was late, just like Rukawa had predicted. _Well, I guess it's fine. Less audience. _ Rukawa's face lightened up as he watched how the red head grinned to himself, singing his tensai song. Rukawa was about to stand up and get to him when a particular part of Sakuragi's song reached his ears.

"And Rukawa is nothing", Sakuragi sang cheerfully.

Rukawa froze. A sting of pain went through him but he did his best to ignore it. _It's just a song. He doesn't really mean it._ He bowed his head, closed his eyes and tried to shut out the fact that actually it was probable that Sakuragi meant it. _At least he wants it to be so,_ he suddenly thought and his eyes snapped open. _But if I think about it, he's always watching me and paying attention to me. Calling me kitsune and arguing with me. He considers me his arch rival and thus he has to. I'm the reason he's pushing himself to his limits to get better at basketball and at everything._ Rukawa conveniently 'forgot' Akagi Haruko's influence on the do'aho._ Heads up, Kaede. Even if he doesn't like you he definitely doesn't think you're nothing, either._ Cheering up Rukawa lifted his head to call Sakuragi's name but stopped midway. He blinked and then cursed. While he had been hesitating Sakuragi had already gone inside. Rukawa turned and headed towards the school building, hurrying his steps since he was late. _Damn it! Next time I'll just grab him without hesitation, no matter _what_ he's singing._

The teacher didn't say anything when Rukawa entered the classroom without saying a word of apology._ I guess he thinks it's a waste of time. Which it is, of course._ He sat down and immediately placed his head on the desk. _Since I didn't get to confess yet, I can still dream happy things. _And he did.

What exactly was it in Sakuragi that made him fall head over heels for the stupid, loud and annoying self proclaimed tensai? He really didn't know. Sure, Sakuragi was sweet and he definitely was cute (especially when he did something stupid, which pretty much meant that he was cute all the time) but so were many others and Rukawa hadn't even noticed them. Perhaps it had all started with Sakuragi _making_ Rukawa notice him. How could anyone _not_ notice something as loud and lively as the red head. The ridiculous things he did caught everyone's attention. No one was indifferent about him. Rukawa knew that without his good looks he himself would be the kind to go unnoticed. Sakuragi was the exact opposite of him.

When Rukawa was down and brooding it was Sakuragi's presence that made him feel better. The do'aho would stick his head close to Rukawa's and make a silly, inspecting face. "What's wrong with the king of bastards today?" Sakuragi would say. "Stupid kitsune, prepare yourself. Today is the day you will admit your defeat and bow before the tensai." And then Sakuragi would walk away, laughing his impossible laugh. This had happened many times. Somehow the ritual made Rukawa's heart feel light and happy again. Perhaps it was the smiling face so close to his own or perhaps it was the attention Sakuragi was giving him. He didn't know.

Watching Sakuragi's silly stunts had gradually become Rukawa's favourite past time. He watched as Sakuragi complained to Akagi, earning a few bumps on his forehead. He watched as Sakuragi complained to Ayako, earning a few bumps more, from Ayako herself and, if the red head had been too offensive, from Ryota as well. He watched as Sakuragi teased Mitsui about Kogure and got beaten. He watched as Sakuragi made a fool of himself in so many ways that he didn't believe it was possible to find any other ways to do it. The do'aho proved him wrong, however, over and over again. All this made Rukawa feel warm inside and he wanted to smile and to take care of the block head, to make him feel better after being laughed at and kiss the scowling mouth, to make him smile again. To smile at him, Rukawa, and not to anyone else. Rukawa loved his smiling face.

It was lunch time and Rukawa was sitting on the roof, like always. Well, actually he usually slept but anyway. He was thinking, yet again, of what to say to Sakuragi. 'I like you'. Would that be enough? _What if he wants to know why? 'I love your smiling face', is that all I would be able to say? _Rukawa heaved a heavy sigh. _I love your eyes, 'cause they're warm and soft and full of life._ Mushy, way too mushy. _I love your body._ …_What the hell? How would that make him love me? If I say that he'll beat the crap out of me and he would be entitled to it. Athough it's true… but it's not a thing you should say when confessing. That kind of things come _after_ you confess and also after he has said that he likes you too._ Rukawa's eyes went blank for a few minutes. He was thinking about the 'that kind of things' mentioned earlier. Then he came back to reality and bit his lip. _Now is not the time for this. Now is the time to think of something that will convince him of my huge potential in the boyfriend business. Why am I the best candidate? Why am I better than the others, better than Akagi Haruko? I have to give him a reason to think that I just am._

Rukawa spent the rest of the day thinking of Sakuragi. Of course he always did spend his days thinking of the do'aho but today was special. Today he was feeling very nervous and his dreams varied from happy endings to cruel, painful deaths to Sakuragi smiling happily with Akagi's sister clinging to him. _Ugh, I have to stop thinking like that. Come on now, Kaede. Happy thoughts, happy thoughts._ And this went on until the end of the basketball practice.

During practice Rukawa was unable to concentrate which of course made Sakuragi very happy. Rukawa was kind of glad that he had made Sakuragi so happy, although the way it had happened didn't please him very much. _Oh well, at least he's in a good mood now. It's easier to approach him._ Rukawa and Sakuragi were on cleaning duty that day, which was perfect for Rukawa's plans. Heart pounding and sweat forming small beads on his forehead Rukawa watched how Sakuragi skidded from one side to the other, whistling a happy tune. _Okay, Kaede! Now is the time! Show that you're not a coward. Be a man!_

"…Sakuragi?" Rukawa was proud to notice that his voice didn't crack. Unfortunately Sakuragi appeared not to have heard him. "Sakuragi", he said again, this time a little more firmly.

Sakuragi lifted his head and looked at him. "What? Are you finally ready to confess that I'm better than you?"

Rukawa flinched at the 'confess' but shaked his head. "No, it's not that." _Uh, perhaps I should've said that he is, it would have made him more agreeable._ He was about to correct his mistake when Sakuragi tossed the cleaning equipment aside and stormed next to him.

"Teme! Kitsune! What do you mean 'that's not it'? Didn't you see it clearly today? Do I have show you again?"

"Sakuragi, I-" He was cut off when Sakuragi grabbed his shirt and leaned closer. Close enough to make his face slightly red.

"I'll show you that the tensai is better!" Sakuragi howled and swung his fist. It successfully landed on Rukawa's cheek and Rukawa fell on his back.

__

That hurt. He was about to stand up again when Sakuragi threw himself on top him, ready to beat him up. Their position gave Rukawa improper thoughts but he quickly drove them away and concentrated on calming Sakuragi down. After much effort, stifled curses and frantic fighting Rukawa was able to pin the other boy down. Panting, he looked down at his loved one. Sakuragi's face was dirty with sweat and blood, his hair was tangled and he had a cute pout on his face. Rukawa couldn't help but smile.

Sakuragi gasped and stared at him with his mouth wide open. "K-kitsune! You're smiling!" he shouted, looking a bit horrified. But to Rukawa's pleasure he was also looking at him with wonder and unintentional admiration.

"You make me smile", Rukawa said. It was amazing. Now that the time to confess was really here, it didn't seem that hard after all. "I love you." Rukawa was still smiling. He didn't know what kind of smile it was but it felt just right.

Sakuragi blinked. And blinked. And then he blushed like mad and began to stutter. "Wh-what?"

"I love you, Hanamichi." Somehow the 'I like you' he had practiced so hard had changed into 'I love you' but Rukawa didn't care. This was the way to make his feelings clear. He had never said these words aloud to anyone nor had he ever been in a situation like this before. Funny how being near Sakuragi seemed to make everything clear.

"Y-you..?"

"I love you."

For awhile Sakuragi was unable to do anything but gape. Then he tried to speak but he was so flustered that nothing came out. Finally he seemed to regain his composure. "Oh, I see! You're trying to fool the tensai! Nyahaha! It wont work!"

Rukawa's smile grew wider. "No, Sakuragi", he said gently, "I really do love you."

His voice was so sincere that Sakuragi couldn't doubt him anymore. He went back to gaping.

As if in a trance Rukawa leaned in closer. He hadn't planned to kiss the red head but once again it just felt like the right thing to do. It was a rather chaste kiss. He just put his lips on Sakuragi's and stayed there for a short time before lifting his head again. He could feel Sakuragi's heart pounding wildly.

"U-uwaah!" Sakuragi yelped and jerked back. Rukawa let him go and gazed at him while he tried to calm down, sitting only a short distance away from the fox eyed boy. "I-I'm sorry, I d-don't really…"

Fear and pain. _Shut them out, Kaede. This is not the end._ "Alright, I understand. I just wanted to clear things up."

"Uh…" Sakuragi got up and started to walk towards the changing room, evidently trying desperately to look like he was _not_ running away.

"Just so you know", Rukawa interrupted Sakuragi's steps, "I will not give up. I'll make you see things my way." And he added, as an afterthought: "Do'aho." Sakuragi blushed and rushed out of sight, almost tearing the door down in his hurry. Rukawa couldn't help a low chuckle. _He's so cute._ He sighed and continued cleaning. He felt better after confessing. He touched his lips with his fingers and smiled. Much better.


	5. Being Happy

Notes: Whew! It's done. This is the fifth and last part of this story. Thanks for your support everyone! I hope you enjoy this last part as well. Hmm, I think I should clarify something now. While writing this I was once again troubled with the common problem of writing a yaoi or shonen ai fic: What the hell should I do with the girl? This time I solved it by simply making Sakuragi so absorbed by the emotions Rukawa had evoken in him that he completely forgot Haruko. Oh yeah, this is mostly from Sakuragi's POV, since some of you wanted to know what he was thinking. It turned out alright, I think.

Uh, no one really thought I own any of these characters, right? Yeah, thought so.

Chapter 5 - Being Happy

__

What the hell? What the hell? Sakuragi stormed through the streets of Kanagawa at top speed, not caring that he hit a person or two on his way. _What the hell?_ His mind had been repeating that same sentence for fifteen minutes now and it was starting to seriously annoy him. _What the hell?_ He stopped and grimaced. "Damn you, kitsune!" he bellowed, scaring a flock of birds nearby. He huffed and slumped to a bench, thinking over the events that occured earlier. _Okay, so kitsune kissed me and told me that he l-loves me. No big deal._ He blinked repeatedly and then frowned. _Right. So how should I react to this? Option no. 1: Just forget it and pretend it never happened. Option no. 2: Tell Rukawa that I don't like him back and that he should give up. Option no. 3: Tell Rukawa that I like him too. … What the hell?!_ Sakuragi sank to his knees and hit his forehead to the ground. After recovering from the impact he sat back with a scowl. _Damn that kitsune! He's messing with my head. Uh…okay, I'll go for the first option. I'll forget about the whole thing._ He got up and continued his journey home.

Sakuragi really tried to forget about the whole thing. It was not his fault that Rukawa's words echoed in his mind and that his lips tingled from the memory of Rukawa's touch. Rukawa was so clearly in his mind that he dared not to take a shower. It felt too much like the other boy was in the same room with him. When Sakuragi was undressing before going to sleep, he saw a glimpse of himself in the mirror and wondered what Rukawa would think if he saw him now without a shirt. Blushing furiously he banged his head to the wall and told himself once again to forget about it. He managed to do so but right after he drifted to sleep his subconsciousness took over and filled his dreams with sincere blue eyes, soft lips and hot hands. He smiled in his sleep and did not wake up till late in the following morning, remembering nothing of his dreams. Which was a good thing, 'cause if he had remembered he would have hurt his head again.

Sakuragi approached school warily, searching Rukawa's dark head from the crowd of students. After awhile, convinced that Rukawa wasn't anywhere near he stepped through the gate and headed to the building.

"Hanamichi", a voice from behind called.

Sakuragi froze. There was no mistaking it. That voice belonged to his rival. He turned around, trying to look casual and failing miserably. "W-what is it, kitsune?" _What's that? Is he smiling again?_

Rukawa watched him for awhile without saying anything. His eyes trailed over Sakuragi's frame and finally stopped at the red head's face. "Are you afraid of me, Hanamichi?"

Sakuragi tensed at the question and glared angrily at him. _Damn it! He's not smiling, he's laughing at me!_ "Who's afraid?!"

Rukawa's lips curved upwards. "You are, aho."

That was enough to ignite the flame in Sakuragi and he leaped forward and grabbed Rukawa's collar. "Damn it, kitsune! I'm _not_ afraid!"

Rukawa closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. "You smell so good, Hanamichi."

"Wh-what?" In a flash, Sakuragi's face was covered with crimson.

Rukawa leaned in closer and rested his chin on Sakuragi's shoulder. "Mm…so good."

"D-damn you, kitsune…D-don't t-try to d-distract me…I-it won't…work…" Sakuragi stuttered.

"Hmm…What's the matter, Hana-chan?"

Sakuragi flinched. _Hana-_chan_??! Ugh, I have to get away!_ But even though he decided to leave he couldn't. He felt Rukawa's breath on his neck and somehow it rooted him to the spot. Unable to tear himself away he just stood there. Time seemed to have stopped and he forgot that they were standing near the school gate, in front of students and teachers and passersby. No sounds penetrated the wall of privacy that had enveloped the two boys. Every inch of Sakuragi reached out to experience the touch of Rukawa's chin on his shoulder, the warm breath on his neck and the fabric of Rukawa's uniform in his hand. He turned his head to look at Rukawa and was mesmerized by the cobolt depths that stared back at him.

"Hanamichi-" Rukawa was cut off when a hand patted him on the back. He turned to look, his eyes promising painful death to the intruder but his glare was lightly dismissed by his gangster team mate.

"Yo! What are you two doing?" Mitsui grinned, swinging his arms around their shoulders.

Sakuragi sighed inwardly, though he didn't know if it was for relief or disappointment. _What am I thinking? Of course it's for relief. It's just that kitsune…he's so sly…it was some sort of a trick…yeah…_

Rukawa stood silent for a moment before abruplty walking away. Sakuragi looked at him go and saw a frown on his face. He was startled when Rukawa quickly glanced over his shoulder to meet his brown eyes. He was even more shaken when he saw a tiny smile forming on Rukawa's lips before the eye contact was broken. _What the hell was that?_

As the day went on Sakuragi noticed that Rukawa was watching him every time that they were in a line of sight with each other. He wondered if it had always been like this and he hadn't noticed. _If he has always been looking at me how can I have missed it? It's so obvious, it feels like his presence is overwhelming everything else._

Two weeks after this Sakurai finally had to admit that he couldn't just forget about it and pretend that nothing ever happened. It was time for some serious thinking. Sakuragi did not like serious things, he was a happy-go-lucky guy who liked things simple and fun and enjoyed the sunny side of life. If something serious came along he usually asked Yohei for advice but this was something he thought he should think through himself.

Because Sakuragi was not the smart type, which he himself admitted (but only to himself, of course) he tended to make even complex things simple. The question that needed to be answered now was: 'What do I really think of Rukawa?'. If he could find the answer to that the problem was solved as far as he was concerned. If asked any other day or moment he would've said 'I hate him' without hesitation. But he was now in his 'serious mode' and so it was a totally different thing.

_During these two weeks Rukawa has been really nice to me._ That was the first thing he admitted. All the hellos, good byes, thank yous and here you gos alone would have been enough to make Rukawa seem nicer but the kitsune had also done several other things for him that had stunned Sakuragi. Rukawa had helped him during practice and after it, so that he had developed in basketball with amazing speed. Rukawa was a patient teacher and didn't mind Sakuragi's outbursts and failures but kept encouraging him and telling him what he had done wrong. Rukawa had helped him carry things, opened doors for him and bought meals and snacks for him. Although this made him feel a little like a girl, it also made him feel warm and cared for. _Every time he does something for me I know it's because he cares for me and wants to do things for me._ Actually Rukawa had said that to him. It had been one of those moments that Sakuragi had felt like he was drowning in Rukawa's eyes, in Rukawa.

_Wait!_ Sakuragi bolted up suddenly and stared at the opposite wall with concentration. _If I would read this somewhere, if someone else would come to tell me something like this…what would I think?_ The silence in his room was deafening and lasted for at least ten minutes. _I would think…I would think that he's in love. Yeah…that's what I would think…So…does that mean I'm…in love with him? How could it be?_ But he remembered how Rukawa's lips had felt on his, he remembered every touch they had shared since then. _Rukawa…I love him…_ Sakuragi's knees gave in and he fell onto his bed, eyes wide open and bewildered.

Rukawa POV

_It has been two weeks since I confessed._ He smiled at an imaginary Sakuragi in front of him and lifted a hand to caress the cheek of the illusion that he had summoned from his mind. _It has been…heavenly. I didn't think Hanamichi would let me be near him so easily. He hasn't mentioned Akagi's sister, not even once._ He dropped his hand, closed his eyes and let out a small laughter. _I've been acting and feeling like a love sick idiot but I don't mind. As long as I can get him it's alright. It feels like I'm living in an entirely different world that consists of only me and him. It feels like _I'm_ different. But only when I'm near him or thinking about him._ He turned to his side and stared at the cell phone he had thrown on his bedside table. _I want to be with him. If I call him and invite him out, will he come?_ After minutes of pondering he reached out his hand and dialed Sakuragi's number.

"Yes?" Sakuragi's voice was shaky and Rukawa wondered if there was something wrong with the red head.

"Hi, it's me", he said softly.

"Oh! …Rukawa."

Rukawa felt strangely happy that Sakuragi had identified him by his voice. "Yeah. Uh, I was wondering if you would like to have a game with me tonight?"

"A game?" There was a long silence during which Rukawa was beginning to get really nervous. Then Sakuragi finally continued. "Okay."

"Okay then", Rukawa cursed himself for sounding so unenthusiastic. "Uh, let's meet at the court near school."

"Okay. Bye."

_Something's strange._ "Yeah, bye." _Something's definitely strange._

When Rukawa arrived at the court he saw that Sakuragi was already there. He left his bike behind the fence and walked closer to the red head. "Yo."

Sakuragi whirled around and stared at him with wide eyes. Rukawa dropped the ball he was carrying and stared back. _There's something different about him today._ The two boys were locked in a gaze for a long time. Then Sakuragi broke the silence.

"Rukawa…"

Something in Sakuragi's voice made Rukawa's body move on its own. He closed the distance between them, leaned closer and gently pressed his lips against Sakuragi's. It took awhile for him to notice that Sakuragi was kissing him back. He gasped and backed away to look at the other boy. "Hanamichi?"

Sakuragi had closed his eyes tightly and a blush covered his cheeks. "Rukawa, I…" He struggled with words.

Hope was rising in Rukawa. "Does this mean you..?" The blush on Sakuragi's face and his stuttering was enough to answer his question. Rukawa closed his eyes as an immense wave of relief washed over him. Then he smiled and leaned in for another light kiss. "A wise choice, do'aho. Didn't know you were so intelligent."

"Hmph! Don't underestimate the tensai, stupid kitsune."

They smiled at each other. Rukawa felt the pressure of past days lifting and he felt that he could be himself again. Apparently Sakuragi felt the same.

"Okay, kitsune! Are you ready to be crushed by the tensai's incredible skills?"

"Hmph, you're nowhere near my level, aho." Rukawa picked up the ball and started dribbling.

"Teme! I'll beat you today and show you!" Sakuragi tried to steal the ball but failed and Rukawa made his first point.

"See that, do'aho? That's the difference between our levels." Rukawa took in the adorable sight of Sakuragi's fuming face and thought that he wouldn't want to be anywhere else in the world. _After I win, I'll claim my price thoroughly._ He laughed out loud. Life was good.

"Teme! Are you laughing at me? Stop laughing!" Sakuragi's shouts echoed in the night. Yes, life was definitely good.

The end…or rather the beginning.


End file.
